Perfect Imperfections
by CynnieD
Summary: At just the thought of him, their eyes flicked to Ralsei curled up on his seat. Gaze settled outside his window. Intently watching the world rush by. Yawning every so often. A small smile graced their face. - Ralsei is coming to visit and, after days of deliberation, Kris knows exactly where to bring him.
1. Sleep Deprived Ideas

Kris' hometown was a barren land of clinical depression and midlife crises. Filled to the brim with literally nothing to do.

And yes, they've checked.

All you can do is; eat at the town's only diner, hang out in the school's playground, stare at the lake for a couple of hours… Get a concussion? Gradually realize that, in the grand scheme of the universe, nothing you do will ever truly matter? Oh, there's also a pizza place that technically doesn't even serve pizza.

This _is _the bad place, if you were wondering.

For Kris, this was all common knowledge. They had known this since they were twelve. And yet here they were. Still sitting at their computer. Bathed in the pale, artificial glow of the screen at 5 am in the morning. Trying desperately to find something, anything, to do.

But, after spending several hours of their life scrolling the interwebz, the realization that their search was, in fact, fruitless was finally dawning on them.

They let out an extended groan. Slumping into their computer chair at the sight of the miles of empty space on Google Maps. This was truly hopeless. They lived in a tiny town. A tiny town in the middle of nowhere. With the closest city being three long hours away. And if they spent one more minute looking at a screen their eyes would die.

A softer sigh fell as they pushed away from the desk. Kris stretched as they stood up on wobbly legs. Their bones popping back into place. They exhaled dramatically. Ending the exaggerated motion slouched over like an exhausted Sim.

This was so lame. SO LAME!

Their boyfriend was coming tomorrow and they had nothing special planned. All because of their stupid, boring hometown. Sure, they could laze around on the monkey bars again. Maybe share another milkshake at the diner. Or you know, contemplate the meaning of life for a couple of hours. For the second time. Ralsei wouldn't mind. But that's the reason for all the mounting stress.

He wouldn't care. He'd just be happy to spend time with them. The duo could be in the ninth ring of hell and he'd still say it was a pretty good date. He'll never expect any more than their simple presence. He's just so…

Perfect.

Too perfect.

And Kris just wasn't.

Their legs were too long. Hair's too shaggy. Mannerisms too odd. Mind and soul too fucked up. The immediate willingness to eat moss off a dungeon floor kinda solidified that.

And, yet…

Ralsei still smiled at them with eyes filled with galaxies. Blushed whenever he caught them gazing. Said words that only held a genuine affection. Sang them the kinds of songs only Disney princesses sang to their true loves.

His words might stutter or his lyrics might be on the cheesy side but, man…

These trips to the surface he makes… just to visit them? To visit a creepy, loner that can barely hold a conversation? In their mind, there was no other option. His visits had to be special.

Kris' feet dragged across their bedroom floor. A hundred percent ready to just crash into bed. They slowly shuffled before a strand of light caught them by surprise. Not fully taking in that tomorrow was now today.

The bright beam stung as Kris ran to fully close the curtains. Their hands paused, though. Gripping the rough fabric, they peered through the gap between them.

Orange and pink hues blended in the early morning sky. Contrasting against the shadowed tree line, the sun slowly rose. Its rays stretching across the horizon.

Any hint of drowsiness they had slipped into the background. Their soul lost its usual burdensome weight at the sight. Memories from a time almost forgotten reemerged in Kris' mind.

Sitting high up. So high, it felt like they were in another world. Looking off into the distance. The same orange-ish colours surrounded them. Cool breezes brought golden leaves with them. Warmth seeped from the knitted scarf around their neck. Warmth seeped from the loved ones who were near.

Everything was just… perfect.

Oh.

In that moment, as they stared out of their window, enchanted by the sunrise, they knew.

They just knew. This was the view Ralsei deserved to see.


	2. Tiny Rebellions

The two teens snuck out of Kris' home shy of twenty-four hours later.

With hands interlocked and fog all around them, they made their way across town. The sharpness of the air filled their noses. They kept their voices hushed and footsteps quick. Up above them the navy blue blanket of the night began to brighten. Slowly changing shades in the sky above.

Ralsei let a yawn escape him.

A few moments ago his steady had the honour of waking his tired form. Though the gesture was as old as time, a heroic knight waking a sleeping princess, this time it wasn't with a kiss. His knight's methods involved things like poking his side and harsh whispers. Not exactly fairy tale material but accuracy is a small price to pay.

Especially because he got to experience the wondrous things that are sleepovers. Sleeping in Kris' room. Sleeping in Kris' bed. Hogging all the blankets because they smell like sunshine. Kris didn't seem to appreciate that last one. But, they also didn't appreciate nice smelling sheets as he did.

Although, one caveat dampened the experience a bit. They had to forgo the "sleeping-in" part of a sleepover. No waking up to strands of light coming from the curtains. No smell of breakfast drifting from downstairs.

Nope, only waking up before the sun was even awake and sneaking through the streets. Like a couple of rapscallions.

Guess he still had much to learn.

Their feet finally crunched on fallen leaves as Kris brought him to the Flower King. Or rather, the side of it. His steady let go of his paw, using their spare hand to rummage through their inventory pockets.

Earlier in the day, Kris had waltzed into their father's shop. Locked in loaded with a puppy-dog grin and years of unused "child of divorce" brownie points. They also maybe over-exaggerated their driving abilities a bit.

Okay, maybe a lot.

But, nonetheless, his truck would be back in its spot before 9 am and in the exact way he left it. As promised. Most likely. As long as they didn't have to parallel park at any point.

With a startling beep, their father's truck unlocked. The duo got in and tried to settle into their seats. Both a bit nervous about the endeavour. Kris more about the actual act of driving and Ralsei about the defiance.

He sank into the worn, leather seats as he began to worry. It was one of his oldest pastimes. His thoughts endlessly spinning worse and worse outcomes of his current situation.

This excursion couldn't end well, right? There were a thousand different ways it could all go wrong.

Before he could spiral down any further, Ralsei jumped out of his thoughts as the old truck burst to life. The engine began to rumble. All the tiny lights and icons along the dash started flickering. While the soothing tones of John Denver drifted through the radio.

"Are you sure about this, Kris?"

They glanced up from adjusting the driver's seat height to their size instead of their father's. They tilted their head as a simple reply.

"Kriiiiiss." He scolded, understanding their unspoken sentiment. It's not like he didn't know they were a teen of few words before they had started dating.

Continuing their silence, Kris' head only tilted further. Resembling a ninety-degree angle instead of one belonging to a proper steady. Ralsei sighed, "You know what I mean. There's no way your mother's going to be okay with this."

A shrug for a reply.

"How about we go for breakfast at the dinner from the second time I came? Those checkered things we had were pretty tasty. Waffles, right?"

A small grimace, this time.

"Or how about that strange P'e'zza place? I've never had ice pizza before."

"You've never had any kind of pizza before," Kris said, their voice filled with confusion and disgust. So, now their words came out. Of course. They continued to mutter, "You're first pizza isn't gonna be a goddamn Ice P'e'zza. Not while I'm still breathing."

Ralsei flashed a small smile as he put his paws up in defence. Soft chuckles falling from his lips.

"It's just…" He barely said before his sentence trailed off. Gaze turning to the sleeping world outside of his window. Kris reached over to take his paw and intertwined their fingers. Urging him to continue. "I don't want to cause a fuss, Kris. I don't want to… Your mother's going to be so upset if she finds out. She's going to punish you for an eternity. She's going to—"

"Be ecstatic." They said, drawing intricate circles into his fur. "I'm with 'friends', remember? She won't mind."

"That excuse isn't going to work forever."

Kris' hand lingered with his as their head settled forwards. Staring off into the foggy woods. Easily drifting into deep thought.

Sure, it was a matter of when and not if their mother would ever figure out what was going on. No doubt. There was only so long she could believe whatever she wanted to believe. But, that day wasn't today and thus that was a problem for future Kris, not them.

That kid's fucked.

Themselves on the other hand? Present Kris? They had something spectacular to show their lonely prince. No strict rules or possible eternal damnation was going to stop them.

"Don't worry, Rals." They drawled as they took their prince's fluffy face into their hands. "Future Kris' got it handled."

Now it was Ralsei's turn to do the head tilting. His words coming out as jumbled as the thoughts in his head.

"Future Kri—What do you—? Futur—? Are you—?" He almost finished a single thought before Kris ducked under his hat and gently kissed his cheek.

They pulled back, flashed him a quick finger-gun-smirk combo, and put the truck into reverse. Letting out a chuckle as his love pulled up his scarf and down his hat. Hopelessly trying to cover his blush.

His steady was weird. A good kind of weird, though.

One that urged them to word for word recite the passage 'Alas, Poor Yorick' for no reason. The kind that allowed them to remember the rules to a satanic ritual but not the order of operations. A special kind of weird that caused them to resign to shackle themselves to a dungeon wall and eat floor moss.

They were all things he loved about them but, they were weird nonetheless.

Don't get him wrong, he's eternally grateful for Kris falling that day. He thanks the pillar of darkness every day. But, it's just that any kind of kisses from them was so overwhelming. The simple act causing his cheeks to match his scarf's hue. Though, he never complained because they also always calmed him like magic.

Why was being in love was so complicated?


	3. Sunrises

Luckily, it was less complicated than driving. Of which the basic mechanics were entirely lost to him.

The truck jostled along the dirt road. Its headlights the illuminating the surrounding foggy woods as they went.

Kris' knuckles had turned white a few miles back. Changing shades as they had turned off of paved streets and onto rougher terrain. Through their shaggy bangs, lidded eyes had never once deviated from the road. Perhaps they were being too cautious. Too wary. But, how could they not be? They were carrying the most precious cargo.

At just the thought of him, their eyes flicked to Ralsei curled up on his seat. Gaze settled outside his window. Intently watching the world rush by. Yawning every so often.

A small smile graced their face. They leaned back in their seat and released some of the tension in their fingers. Settling into a focused-yet-more-relaxed driving mode.

The road ahead got tighter as it began to curve. Letting them round the side of one of Appalachia's many mountains. Engine rumbling as they went. Luckily, for them, the truck had made this trip several times. Though they hadn't been in the driver's seat.

Glimpses of the past revealed themselves as their destination grew closer. A dozing Asriel sitting beside them. Eyes and head drooping as he fought back the dastardly enemy that was sleep. Their parents in the front seats, both humming along to the turned down radio.

That's when they saw it.

A nice patch of the mountainside overlooked valleys below. Tall, wild grass with flowers sprouting up in patches. They pulled up . Easing the truck to a full stop a couple meters from the optimal gazing spot.

Their whole body relaxed, finally. Head lolling back onto the headrest. Letting out a breath and closing their eyes. Knowing they made the trip here safely.

"We're here?" Ralsei asked, yawning as his bones cracked while he stretched.

They threw him a lazy thumbs-up and clicked their tongue. Catching his yawn before holding out a hand, "Specs, please."

His head and eyebrows cocked at their request. The urge to ask at least several questions rising in him. But, knowing Kris, they wouldn't answer any of them.

With a sigh, he let the world turn blurry as he handed his glasses away. Soon after, scarred digits took a hold of his scarf, pulling it loose. Guiding it from his neck to over his eyes. Before the world went dark as they tied a tight knot at the back.

Now, sound and touch were all he had to go on. Kris' soft hum once they were finished tying. The clicks of their seat belts unbuckling and the whirring of them gliding back into place. A thunk as their door of the truck swung open. Another as his side opened.

Their hands guiding him out of the vehicle and over to an unknown spot. The dewy grass under his paws and roundness of the air. And finally, the familiar weight of his glasses returning.

He blinked once and then twice before his jaw dropped.

A golden world awaited him.

The sky he had fawned over weeks prior seemed so much more expansive. Stretching from the ends of the earth, blanketing everything around them in a warm hue. Streaks of orange, red, and yellow danced along it. Like a painter's brush strokes. All independent at times. Before blending together to make the wondrous painting in front of him. Light, fluffy clouds lazily drifted across the background.

And in the center of it all?

A thing, once upon a time, he'd never thought he'd get to see.

The Lightners' brightest star.

No, it was his too now.

_Their _brightest star. Their most prized possession rose from the horizon. Slowly but surely making its way to its throne in the heavens. Lighting up their little corner of the world. Not that he could quite remember it wasn't just him an the celestial body. No, as he gazed upon the sun and a wave of serenity washed over him, it felt like there was no one else left on Earth.

Wait, there _was _someone else with them.

Ralsei pulled his sight away from his new friend to his real life company. His silent knight.

Kris sat close beside. Their form bathed in the rays as they sprawled out in the tall grass. Golden light illuminating their whole body. Creating a god-like glow around them. At last they seemed to be at peace. Then, as their head lolled back, their long bangs fell to either side. Revealing the gems they kept hidden from the world.

An occurrence rarer than any blue moon.

Maroon irises admired the painting before them. They were filled with something he couldn't quite place. Contentment? Amazement? Nostalgia? Whatever it was, when their eyes drifted from the sunrise over to him, it was still there.

Oh…

Perhaps it was love.

He still had to come to terms with that fact. That somebody alive and sentient loved him. Somebody was wonderful as Kris loved a wreck like him. The tiny ball of nerves and anxiety. Terrified of falling too fast and too hard. Being too needy. Too much much of a bother. Being too… everything. And not being what Kris needed.

But,

They never seemed to mind.

They always were an attentive listener to all his rambling but, always knew the right time to stop him. Lest he enter a perpetually downward spiral.

They were one hundred percent willing to become the hero that he needed. Not questioning ludicrous, reality breaking implications for anything he told them.

And when they were ready, Kris would talk for hours.

About stories from when they were younger.

Barely believable conspiracy theories.

Loosely connected thoughts stringed together profoundly.

They were just so perfect.

And this, the sneaking out in the early morning, the quiet drive, and the sunset. It was all just so…

Perfect.

Kris reached out and laced their fingers together again. Pulling him out of his thoughts. Right on time as always. They gazed at him with, _his throat tightened_, love filled eyes. Their usual neutral expression replaced an upturned lips and those softened gems.

Oh, darkness, don't cry.

Don't cry, Ralsei.

Don't cry.

Don't—

Dammit.

"Kris," He choked out as tears began to well. They threatened to fall and ruin this perfect moment. Kris' perfect moment for him. No, he had to pull himself together. "This is, this is. It's…"

Yep, stuttering is a surefire sign of someone who's _totally _not on the verge of a break down. So embarrassing. SO EMBARRASSING!

"Rals," They began softly. Eyes squinting as they searched for the right words. "It's… okay. Tears of joy, right? It's okay. You're okay."

Not helping. Not helping **at all**.

"Oh, damn it all." He cursed as he mustered up all the courage he had. Within the second, he bounded over to his steady. His beloved hat falling to the wayside as he wrapped his arms around them. Burrowing his nose into their neck. Inhaling their piney scent as he blurted out, "Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you!"

The two stayed like that for a while. Enjoying each other's body heat and tight holds. But, all good things must come to an end. And this good thing ended once he pulled back. Quickly realizing their current position.

His arms rested linked on their shoulders as he sat in their lap. And with their hands settled on his hips, their bodies were close.

Super close.

Close enough for a… kiss?

_Yes_, Kris thought as their hand made its way up to his cheek. Close enough to stare into his galaxies for eyes. Close enough to breathe the same air. Close enough for his head to block out the morning sun. Creating a glowing halo around him.

Definitely close enough.

Also, definitely a perfect way to punctuate their date.

But, alas,

Mother Nature had another idea in mind.

"Was that a rain drop?" Ralsei blinked and shook the excess wetness off of his snout. He rose from their lap to scan the horizon. Brows furrowed as he adjusted his glasses, "But, there aren't any clouds?"

Despite the obvious lack of cloud coverage, rain began to pour down on them.

Kris, reluctantly, got to their feet. Their fingers ran through their messy brown locks as they closed their eyes. At least they got their sunrise.

With a deep sigh, they called out to their love, "We… should get back. Sorry about this."

"Why?" Their eyes shot open at his question. That's when saw him. Spinning around on the balls of his feet as his giggles resounded through the air. His arms swung and legs kicked as he jaunted around the field. "This is amazing! How weird is this! Raining while the sun's still shining! I've never heard of this. What is this, Kris?"

Oh.

My.

God.

He wasn't upset?

"Sun showers," They answered like a ditz. Their mind still running wild. Trying to comprehend how he could be this happy about it raining on their perfect date. "They, uh, happen sometimes. You _don't _want to go?"

"No! I love it!" Hat long forgotten, he ran up to them, eyes a glow. Hands outstretched until thee intertwined with theirs. "Dance with me!"

It was less of a question and more of a demand, not that they minded though. With all his might, Ralsei swung them around the wild grass. Dancing something between the waltz and a folksy jig. Loudly humming out a familiar tune. Soon, their laughs joined his humming. Until both faded and only the gentle beats of the rain were left.

They were close once more.

_**Super close.**_

Now or never.

Kris straightened their back and cleared their throat before asking, "Do you, maybe, want to—"

"Yes." He cut them off, a look of pure unadulterated love on his face.

And then, they did it.

They kissed.

It technically wan't a perfect kiss. The rain continued to beat down. Their now soaked clothes uncomfortably clung to their bodies. His fur wasn't as soft and fluffy as it usually was. It was more damp and kinda spiky. Their skin some how felt sweaty and tight. But,

None of that mattered.

Nope. Not to them.

Somehow, like everything else about the two of them, it was perfect.

Perhaps, their imperfections were what's perfect.

At least to them.

And in the end, isn't that the only thing that matters?

The End!

I hope you've enjoyed reading this. If you did, any kind of comment would be appreciated!

I've been working on it for a loooong time. Just glad it's all finished! Finally, I'm free!

Later Days!


End file.
